The invention relates to a table comprising on the one hand an up-and-down movable tabletop and on the other hand operating provisions to move the tabletop up and down. More in particular, the invention relates to a table adjustable in height by means of an operating ring.
From an ergonomics point of view, the height of a table, more in particular the height of its tabletop, is important: indeed, a too low table may cause back complaints whereas a too high table may give rise to shoulder complaints. Therefore, it is important that tables at which several different persons can be seated, such as in restaurants, in public places, on cruise ships, etc., are provided with a tabletop that can be adjusted in height.
There already are tables of which we know that their top is adjustable at two heights, i.e. a low position and a high position. To facilitate the upward movement, such tables are provided with a gas-operated or oil-operated pressure spring in their central base. To put the tabletop at a higher or lower position, the pressure spring is activated by pressing a handle incorporated in the central base.
However, such known tables present the disadvantage of having their operating handle incorporated in the central base, which is not very esthetic. In addition, because of its location, i.e. at the lower part of the table, the handle is hard to reach by hand so that in most cases it is foot-operated. Because of this, the handle is particularly subject to wear so that it must be replaced after a certain time.
In the American patent U.S. Pat. No. 6,189,843, a table adjustable in height is disclosed, in which the height of the tabletop can be adjusted by means of a handle. However, a distinct disadvantage of this table is that a person who finds himself out of reach of the handle will hardly be able to adjust the height of the tabletop.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a table with an up-and-down moving tabletop that does no longer present these disadvantages.